The Rides
by Emily Hoyt
Summary: "Un-uh... Everybody else is too busy. Please, Lucifer?" That did it! Lucifer groaned and face palmed, trying with all his might to fight against the answer that wanted to slip out, but it did anyway. "Alright... alright, spawn. I'll bring you to the rides tomorrow."
1. Chapter 1

Music echoed throughout the apartment. Lucifer was mid-song when his phone rang. Hopeful it was his detective calling with a new case despite the late hour, he picked it up and smiled when he recognized the house number. He answered.

"Good evening, detective!" he gushed. "Is there a gruesome new murder for us to solve? Or is this for... _personal reasons_?"

"Lucifer?"

A jolt of surprise ran through him at the sound of Trixie's voice on the other end of the phone. He checked the time on his watch and his eyebrows shot up to his hairline.

"Beatrice, what are you doing on the phone with me at nine in the evening? Doesn't your mother insist on a much earlier hour?" Then, a twinge of fear ran down his spine. "Trixie... is your mum alright?"

"Oh, yeah, she's fine," came the little voice, but very quietly. "She fell asleep right after supper; she's really tired."

"I see."

"Um, Lucifer? Could I ask you a favor?"

Lucifer thought about it for a moment. He knew he'd never be able to reclaim a favor from a child, but he had nothing to lose from listening to her request.

"I'm not promising to accept, but you can ask anything you'd like."

"Could you bring me to the travelling rides?"

"I beg your pardon?"

He listened as Trixie took a deep breath. "Every year, the rides come and set up in the parking lot of the big mall. I want to go, but daddy's on a case and mommy had paperwork to do tomorrow," she explained. "If I can't go tomorrow, it's too late; they pack up to move to the next mall tomorrow night. Then they won't be back until next year."

"I don't know..." he mumbled. "What are these _rides_ exactly?"

"You know! Like ferris wheels and roller coasters and... rides."

"And there's no one else you could ask?" he tried desperately, not wanting to think about the fact that this sounded like it might actually be... fun.

"Un-uh... Everybody else is too busy. Please, Lucifer?"

 _That did it!_ Lucifer groaned and face palmed, trying with all his might to fight against the answer that wanted to slip out, but it did anyway.

"Alright... alright, spawn. I'll bring you to the rides tomorrow."

"Really?" she squeaked. "You promise?"

"I promise. I'll come pick you up around noon time."

"That's too late!" she said quickly, her voice sounding a little panicked. "Because mommy said we have to leave at ten o'clock to bring me to a day camp before she goes into work. You have to be here before we leave."

"Trixie, perhaps I should speak with your mother... to be sure."

"Okay, but I was trying not to wake her. Couldn't we ask her together tomorrow when you get here?"

"I'd rather not anger your mother," he said, thinking of how vulnerable he became around her. He certainly didn't want her getting mad at him while she was armed.

"She won't be mad at you; I promise. I'll tell her it was all my idea! I promise, Lucifer!"

Lucifer groaned, but allowed himself to smile. She really was too much and part of him admired the spunk she had for a child. He ran his hand through his hair and, despite every gut instinct to demand to speak to Chloe, he decided that she probably needed her sleep if she'd passed out so quickly.

"Fine, Beatrice. I'll be there ten minutes before you leave so we have time to talk to your mum tomorrow."

"Yes! Thank you, Lucifer! See you tomorrow morning."

And she was gone.

The doorbell rang just before ten the next morning as Chloe ran around the house gathering their things. She swung open the door and froze at the sight of the unexpected visitor.

"Lucifer?" she said, but it sounded more like a question. She shook her head. "We're in a bit of a hurry, Lucifer."

"I know. I'm here for young Beatrice."

"Trixie?" she blurted, her brows knitting together. "She's getting ready."

"I'm well aware. I'll be taking her for the day."

"What?"

"Detective, your offspring called me while you were asleep last evening. She asked me to bring her to the rides since you have to work and daddy-douche is too busy."

Chloe stared at him in silence for several long seconds and Lucifer began to feel uncomfortable under her scrutiny. Then, her eyes narrowed and he felt an onslaught coming, but instead, she turned to yell into the apartment.

"Trixie!"

"Detective, what's wrong?" he asked, taking a step into the apartment and closing the door behind him before her shouting drew the attention of the whole block. "You seem disproportionately angry/"

"Lucifer, I wasn't asleep last night," she said, looking back at him. He sighed. She still looked mad, but it didn't appear to be at him, but rather her daughter. "I put Trixie to bed at eight. Then, I turned on the television and did the dishes. She should have been asleep, not on the phone with you. _And_... on top of that, she lied to you; I don't work today. I took the day off. We've been planning to go to the rides since they pulled into the mall parking lot Monday."

"Beatrice!" Lucifer hollered over Chloe's head, his own temper simmering a little at the development.

The door to the little girl's room opened and she poked her head out, clutching a stuffed bear to her chest. She came out slowly.

"Yes, mommy?" she said, not wanting to come any closer to her upset mother, but Chloe crooked her finger and motioned to her daughter to get a move on. "Hey, Lucifer," she offered, but he crossed his arms and stared down at the child.

"Trixie, why did you call to ask Lucifer to bring you to the rides?" Chloe demanded, still not sure how to take the fact that her daughter wanted Lucifer with them on their day of fun. "Why did you lie to him?"

"I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I just wanted him to come with us."

"Then why didn't you ask him to come with us instead of lying and tricking him?"

"Because I didn't think he'd come if he knew he didn't have to."

"While I am furious, detective, I can't fault her logic."

"Lucifer, not helping!" she barked and turned back to her daughter. "Trixie, if you gave Lucifer a choice and he chose not to come, he's allowed. You can't trick someone into spending time with you; it's not fair to either person. If a person _wants_ to spend time with you, they'll chose to. If not, they might be busy or just not want to do what you're doing."

"Or..." Trixie's lower lip trembled a little. "Or they might not want to spend time with me at all?"

Chloe stood up straight and shook her head at Lucifer, warning him not to bite. Lucifer chose to stay quiet for once, not wanting that trembling lip to become a full blown tear-fest. Chloe knelt down and took her daughter's hands in hers.

"Sweetie, I won't lie to you. Yes, sometimes we like people who don't like us and who avoid spending time with us. And it hurts, but you should never chase after someone's attention. If they like you, they'll make time for you." Trixie looked up at her mother and large fat tears streaked down her cheeks. Then, she looked over her mother's shoulder up at the well-dress bar owner.

"So you don't want to spend time with us, Lucifer?" she asked, her voice low and broken by hiccups. Lucifer shuffled his feet.

"Darling, you know I'm not good with children."

"You're good with me," she pointed out and Lucifer bit back a groan.

"Yes, well... you are one of the better behaved small humans I've come across," he admitted, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Still..."

"So you don't like us," Trixie said sadly. Lucifer sighed and got down to his knees beside Chloe.

"I do like you you, Beatrice. I like you both," he said, smiling at the detective, who grinned back. "However, I'm not really a _rides_ types... at least not those kind." He got a sharp elbow to the ribs for that comment and Chloe's eyes narrowed on him. "Right, sorry. You see, Beatrice, I would have brought you to the rides as a favor to your mum more than to you."

"So you're not coming?" she asked, her eyes widening with sadness and he groaned, sharing a glance with Chloe. He didn't want to. "But you promised!" she pointed out and he held up a finger.

"You tricked me into a promise. I don't think it fair to hold me to such a promise."

"Nevermind!" Trixie screamed, tearing herself out of her mother's arms and throwing the stuffed animal across the room. "I don't even want to go to the stupid rides!" And with that, she ran through the house and slammed her bedroom door shut once inside.

"I'm sorry, detective. I knew I should have insisted on speaking with you last night, but..."

"No, Lucifer. I'm sorry, too. Evidently, she still has some lessons to learn."

"I don't know about that. Her manipulation technique seems pretty spot on to me," he teased and she rolled her eyes.

"Exactly. Lucifer, I don't want my daughter to be a manipulator! I want her to be honest! She should have just asked you to come with us rather than make up such an elaborate lie!"

"Oh, come on, detective!" he sighed. "I mean, nothing is given to you in this world. Is it really so wrong that she's learned how to go about getting what she wants?" Chloe spun on him, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yes! Because she's going about it by dishonest methods!"

Lucifer lowered his gaze to his shoes and thought about how he hated being lied to. "Touché, detective." Chloe sighed and walked over to the kitchen counter, picking up the flung toy that had landed on the floor. She leaned against it and shook her head.

"Look, I'm sure you have better things to do, Lucifer, so..."

"Actually, I cleared my day for this, so no, I don't," he said, his eyes narrowed in thought. "In fact..." and he took a deep breath. "Detective, part of me does feel badly that Beatrice felt she had to lie in order to spend time with me. Since I have nothing to do... do you think she'd change her mind if... if _I_ go in and tell her I'd be happy to come with you both to this... _rides_ -thing?" he asked, almost sneering out the word. Chloe sighed.

"I don't know, Lucifer. After this stunt, I need to punish her. She needs to know she can't do this."

"Oh, yes, yes! I agree whole-heartedly, but, darling, she's going to miss them anyway, so it's not really a punishment. If you really want to punish her, hit her where it hurts. No television or no chocolate cake or something like that. 'Ground her for a month,' whatever that means." Chloe chuckled. "Otherwise, you'd be punishing all of us and you and I didn't do anything wrong... not yet, anyways," he teased and she rolled her eyes.

"Fine, Lucifer. Okay, you're right. Wow, that's hard to admit!" she gritted and he chuckled. "But watch it with the racy comments in front of her, got it?" Lucifer nodded once. "Alright, you go ahead and tell her."

Lucifer walked through the house and knocked on Trixie's door. There was no answer. He knocked again and this time, he heard a muffled 'go away!' from within. With a sigh, he opened it anyways and stepped inside.

"Beatrice?" he whispered and she stopped whimpering. "Beatrice, it's me."

"I'm sorry, Lucifer. Mommy's right; it wasn't nice of me to lie to you. I didn't mean to force you to spend time with me," she said, her speech interrupted with small gasps for air. She sat up on the bed and wiped at her eyes with the back of her sleeve. "Are you mad at me?"

"A little..." he admitted, figuring the best thing he could possibly do was be honest. "Your mum doesn't want you to lie, so I'm not going to either. I don't like when people lie," he said and put his hands in his pockets. Trixie's head hung down and she swiped at her face again. "I will say, though... that I am flattered. I've never had someone go to such lengths to spend time with me." A smile cracked over her face and she looked up at him. He came further in and sat on the end of her bed.

"I like you, Lucifer. I like spending time with you."

"In spite of the way you insist of hugging me all the time, I do like you, too, Beatrice." She chuckled. "Now... since I went to all the trouble of clearing my schedule to bring you to the rides... let's get going, shall we?"

"But..." she muttered as he went to get up. "But, mommy? She's mad, too. She's going to want to punish me for this."

"Yes, she will. And you _do_ deserve it. However, I managed to talk her into doing so by other means. Therefore, today, we're going to the rides and tomorrow, I'm sure your mother will inflict whatever punishment she deems appropriate. Now... shall we?" he asked and flinched as she went to launch herself into his arms.

"Sorry, I forgot," she said, holding herself back with a tense expression. Lucifer tilted his head to the side and growled.

"Fine, but just this last time," he said and the words were no sooner out of his mouth than she had her arms wrapped around his neck in a bear hug. At first, he sat there, frozen, but eventually, one of his arms found its way around her shoulders like he had her mother so long ago. Then, he lifted her out of the bed with a giggle and pushed her towards the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you, my fellow readers, the few of you who left me a review... Thank you! I'm a bit of a review-hoe... Sorry! So, anyway... hope you're all enjoying this little ditty and, without further ado, here's chapter two... (sorry for the Seussical there)**

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Chapter 2:

Lucifer dodged another charging child as they moved towards the line for the next ride. The day had been going well so far, Lucifer watching with a little smile as Trixie squealed and laughed on the family rides like the teacups and bumper cars. But now, on her fifth ride, her enthusiasm seemed to be lacking.

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Chloe asked, kneeling down in front of her daughter. Trixie pouted a little.

"I'm tired of the kiddie rides. I wanted us to go on the adult rides."

Chloe looked up at her partner. "Well, baby, Lucifer is here, but I don't think he really wants to get _into_ the rides."

"I should say not," he mumbled. The child looked up at him. "Well, I am here, after all. Isn't that enough for you?" he asked and she gave a little shrug, but still looked disappointed.

"I guess so..."

Lucifer looked over to several of the bigger rides around them. The tiny Ferris wheel before them had the children in it grinning as they leaned over as far as their restraints would allow to look around them, but anyone over the age of six look rather bored in it. Then, he looked at the ride called _Himalaya_. The cars travelled on a circular track with bumps at three or four spots and these made the riders squeal as they looked about ready to bounce out of the cars they were strapped into.

He looked back down and saw Trixie eyeing the ride as well. Sighing out a deep breath, he took the child and the detective's hand and walked them over to the ticket stand. He mumbled into the window and the person within commented back. Then, he passed through several bills, followed by his hand, which he withdrew bearing a pink bracelet that matched Trixie's. Chloe put her hand through next and came out with the same.

"Come along, Trixie," he groaned and the young girl nearly skipped as they walked to get in line for another ride. He eyed the large ship monstrosity and the brief line and decided it would be the simplest. "Will this do?" he asked and she nodded her head vigorously. The young man at the gate let Trixie in, then Chloe and Lucifer followed. "Where are you going?" he asked, watching the girl run to the very last seat.

"It's the best seat on the ride!" Trixie explained as her mother slid in beside her, but she stopped her. "No, mommy... if this is the only ride Lucifer gets in, I want him to sit beside me."

Chloe stepped back off and made a wide sweeping gesture for Lucifer to get in first. His eyebrow rode up his forehead and he eyed the detective, who was grinning at him, as he slid in and settled right beside the little girl. Chloe got in next and sat beside him and he looked over at her, a half-grin tilting his lips.

"Well... this is quite cozy, isn't it?" he teased, but she bit her lip. "Something funny, detective?" he asked and she began to chuckle.

"It won't be cozy for long," she laughed, watching his expression shift as the security bar came down on their thighs. He stared at it and crossed his arms and waited. Then, the machine began to rock.

It swung forward, but only about a foot or so. As it backed up, it got a little higher and Lucifer's eyes widened. It lurched forward again and this time, the high end of the boat swung up almost even with the camper parked beside it. When it swung back again, Lucifer uncrossed his arms and put his hands on the hand bar in front of him. The boat was several feet higher than the camper. It swung back and Lucifer felt as if he was laying on his back, the seat backs nearly horizontal at this angle. On the next swing back, nothing could stop the cuss words that flowed.

"Shit!" he hissed, holding on as his stomach fluttered from the G-force. "What bloody mad scientist invented this damned contraption? And is he in Hell yet?"

"Don't swear!" Chloe yelled and he looked over at her for the first time and swallowed hard. She had her hands in the air and the rapid swinging motion was blowing her hair all over the place. It would be a wild tangle by the end of the ride, but she didn't seem to care. Her eyes were bright and she was laughing so hard that her cheeks were flushed.

"This is so cool!" Trixie yelled from his other side and he finally tore his eyes from her mother to look at the child. She was in a similar state. This young eight-year-old child looked less scared of a carnival ride that the Lord of Hell. Deciding he needed to rectify the situation, he bit his lip and released the bar as the boat swung them down, the other end rising up. Not so bad. Then, he swung back and they were up as high as the parking lot lights. He felt like he was going to fall out of his seat, but if the child could ride this hands-free, then so could he.

"Now you're getting it!" Chloe yelled and she laughed as he stared at her for a moment before letting out a yell as they swung back down.

The ride lasted several more swings before it slowed down and eventually came to a stand still. When the bar came up, Lucifer was more than happy for the ordeal to be done with, but when Chloe rose up and moved away, he felt the loss instantly. She slipped out of the ride, Lucifer right behind her and Trixie barrelling after him. He felt quite proud that he managed to stay upright; the idea of having rubber legs in front of the detective and her offspring made him cringe.

"Which one next, Lucifer?" she asked, her voice full of energy and excitement, but he placed his jacket and buttoned up the last button.

"I do believe one was enough."

"Then, why'd you get a bracelet?" she asked, pointing to the pink band around his wrist. "If you only wanted to get on one ride, you could have just bought some tickets instead."

"Less hassle," he threw out. He kept walking but after several steps, turned to find Trixie hadn't moved. "What? I got in one with you. That's much more than I planned on!" he pointed out, and Trixie nodded, but didn't smile. "Oh, come on..." he grumbled. "You didn't expect me to get on every single one with you, did you?" She scuffed her toe against the ground and shrugged.

"Okay, Trixie?" Chloe said, kneeling down and taking her by the shoulders. "Don't be like that. Lucifer was really kind; he got into the Pirate Ship with us even though he didn't want to. You can't sulk and guilt him into going on all of them with us." Trixie nodded. "Good girl. Now, pick your next ride and, _if_ Lucifer wants to, he'll get in. And if he doesn't... that's okay, right?" She nodded again and jogged ahead to another ride they'd spied earlier.

Chloe walked beside Lucifer. "I'm sorry for her," she said. "She just... she likes you, Lucifer. She likes you a lot." Lucifer looked over at the woman, his face showing his bewilderment. "I'm telling you! After she spends any time with you, all she talks about is you for several days. I know you're not big on children, but somehow, Trixie has really... taken a shine to you, I guess you could say."

"Now that's just bizarre!" he said and they came to stand behind the girl. She was bouncing up and down as she looked at the large round cage, the sign reading _Round Up_.

"This one's fun! It spins really fast and the center-force makes you stick to the wall so you don't fall when it tilts up."

"Centrifugal, sweetie," Chloe corrected. Lucifer looked at the machine in action and shrugged.

"I think I'll sit this one out," he said and moved to a bench a few meters away. Trixie looked disappointed, but she turned to her mother and the two spoke between themselves, looking over at Lucifer every so often. He felt like he was being talked about and regretted leaving them in line, but he refused to give them the satisfaction of returning... or giving Trixie the false-hope that he'd changed his mind about the ride.

After several seconds, they were ushered through the gate and brought onto the ride. A link chain was hooked across their waists, but it was so loose that it certainly did nothing to hold them in place. As the ride began to spin, Lucifer felt a small wave of panic setting it; it was going fast and their 'strap' was no where near enough to keep them from falling. Then, it started to lift and his heart shot into his throat. They would surely fall out of that damned spinning cage. Yet, using his superior sense of sight, he managed to focus on them and, listening closely, heard them giggling and laughing and they were smiling.

And he felt left out.

The shock registered on Lucifer's face, even though no one was around to see it. He was regretting not getting on the ride with them. Mostly, he was regretting not having an up-close-and-personal view of his detective in such a happy and carefree state. When she was relaxed and laughing and smiling, she was simply the most beautiful creature he'd ever beheld.

He watched as the ride lowered and slowed down and he chuckled to himself as the two ladies stumbled off, their legs looking a little jellified beneath them. He made his way over to them, both of them still giggling and leaning against each other for support.

"Have fun on that one, ladies?" he asked and Trixie nodded so quickly that she stumbled, her feet still not solid beneath her. With lightening reflexes, he stepped forward and reached down to catch her shoulders between his hands, holding her as she stabilized herself. "Ooh, too much fun, perhaps?"

"No way! I'd go in it again! Right now!" she declared and moved to get back in line before stopping. "I guess you still won't come in?" she asked, this time doing a much better job at hiding her disappointment. Lucifer was about to affirm her statement, but the ache he'd felt in his chest at missing out on the first time made a different answer come to his lips.

"Actually, I will," he said before he could think it over. Trixie's grin spread from one ear to the other as she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the line-up. "Coming, detective?" he questioned when she stayed back.

"My legs are still a little wobbly," she said, but he just grinned.

"Come on, detective. Besides, if this makes your legs _wobbly_ , you wouldn't last ten minutes on the _Lucifer_ ride," he taunted. Her cheeks flushed red and her eyes widened.

"Lucifer!"

"Oh, she didn't hear a thing," he said, waving his hand at Trixie, who was oblivious to their entire exchange. "Come on. Let's build up your endurance, eh?" he teased and, turning several shades of darker, came over to his side and swatted at his arm.

"I thought I said no racy comments!" she hissed, hanging her head and letting her long hair cover her flaming face. He reached up without realizing what he was doing and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"No, you said to watch it... you didn't completely ban them... and she didn't hear a thing. Look!" He pointed to Trixie, who was craning her head around the people in front of them to see if they were getting any closer.

"It's our turn!" she squealed and ran up the steps to three side-by-side seats. Lucifer stepped between into one spot and Trixie took the one next to him, leaving the third spot on the other side of Trixie. He was about to protest, but he shut his mouth before he could say anything. If it happened once or twice that he wasn't next to the detective, he had no option; saying anything would show his hand and he wasn't even sure what his hand was yet.

"You okay, Lucifer?" Chloe asked above her daughter's head. When he looked up, he realized he'd been biting his lip and staring down at the metal grate of the floor. He pasted on a wide smile and looked up at the woman.

"I'm fine," he said softly and, as the words left his mouth, the ride began to spin ever so slowly. Seconds ticked by, the cage picked up speed and he felt himself pressing into the cage wall behind him. His eyes tried to watch the landscape going by outside the cage, but they were spinning too fast to focus on much. Then, gradually, the entire round cage began to tilt upwards and he felt a subtle rise and fall, the sensation getting stronger and stronger until he felt as though he was on a boat at sea, like he was riding waves. The feeling was actually quite relaxing and he sighed before he turned to Chloe and Trixie.

The child was giggling and letting herself exaggerate the wave-like motion, going up on her tiptoes every time they reached the top, laughing to herself. But his eyes were more permanently fixed on Chloe's face. Much like him, she seemed to find the sensation of the ride relaxing, her head flat against the wall with her eyes closed and a soft smile on her face. Her chest rose and fell softly with her deep breathing and he couldn't help but think of how angelic she looked so completely relaxed as she was.

"See?" came Trixie's enthusiastic voice. Lucifer looked down at the little girl and let out a little chuckle. "I told you this was fun!" she said and he nodded.

"Yes, it is quite fun," he said, catching Chloe's eye as she opened them to observe the exchange with a smile. Her head rolled against her shoulder and she just watched him as the ride continued a moment or two longer before coming back to a horizontal position and slowing down. When the ride came to a stand-still, the operator came around and unlocked all the chain belts in front of the passengers. They all walked off, Trixie and Chloe a little wobbly, but Lucifer perfectly poised between them, half holding them up.

"You both stable now?" he asked as they walked away into the crowd. Chloe nodded and took her daughter's hand as the child led to way to her next choice, the sign marked _Tilt-a-Whirl_. She looked up at Lucifer and grinned.

"This one is going to be fun if you get in with us."

Lucifer's gaze swung to the detective. The words, surprisingly enough, had come from her and not her daughter. It was the first time that she had expressed an interest in his participation on a particular ride. She looked away for a second to the ride in action before she looked back at him.

"With the three of us in it, that'll make it spin faster," she said and Trixie began to jump up and down. He saw her movement from the corner of his eye, but never let his gaze flick away from Chloe, his head tilting as he observed her, a slow smile curling his lips.

"I think I might be convinced," Lucifer whispered, watching Chloe shiver at his words. She looked a little worried, but he just smiled wider, letting his gaze finally wander to the little girl jumping around in front of them. "Look, the line is moving," he said to the little girl and she spun around, running up the steps and hopping into the first free car. Chloe and Lucifer came around the back of the cage and saw Trixie tucked into a corner.

"Sweetie," Chloe said softly. "Wouldn't you rather be in the middle?" she asked, but the child shook her head. "Okay..." she mumbled and stepped into the ride, sitting in the middle of the bench. She was about to slide to the side, but Lucifer was so close behind that she had no choice but to sit still as he sat in beside her, leaving Chloe sandwiched in the middle. He pulled the harness over their laps.

"This one's quite cozy," Lucifer said, wrapped his arm around the top of the seatback, the back of the ride coming up over them like an awning. He looked at Chloe, who held herself an inch or two off the back of the seat and he chuckled. "I think you need to relax, darling," he taunted. She didn't move; in fact, he felt her tense even more, her leg pressed against his so tightly in the confined space.

The ride began and the cars began to go around, swaying side-to-side in the circular ring on the track. As the ride moved over a bump, the car lurched and spun abruptly, sending Trixie into Chloe's side and Chloe into Lucifer's. Also, the force of the spin had them stuck to the wall behind them. Trixie giggled.

Soon, the ride was spinning so furiously that they were all laughing at the sensation. The direction of the spin changed from time to time, but no matter which direction it took, either Chloe was pressing into Lucifer, or he was pressing into her. And, with his arm still over the back of the seat, they were pressed completely into each other from shoulder to knee.

It took a while, but after several seconds, Chloe let out a bark of laughter as her daughter giggled beside her and, slowly, she relaxed, not minding being smashed against Lucifer for the duration of the ride. She even let her head lay back on his arm and it lolled to the side for a moment. Their eyes locked and neither moved, but the ride had other ideas. The car passed over a bump and changed directions, and Lucifer was thrown against Chloe's side now, his face inches from hers. They sat there and forgot they were even on the ride, both of them transfixed, and it was only when Trixie lifted the metal bar out of the way that they snapped back to reality.

"Time to get off," she announced and Chloe turned ten shades of red while Lucifer took a moment before standing.

"You heard the child," he whispered beside his detective. She shivered and practically jumped out of her seat, not expecting the machine to lurch. The car had been balancing on a bump and, when she jumped up, the whole car swung to the side.

Chloe reached for the bar to hold on, but the close quarters had all their legs tangled and there was no where for Chloe to widen her stance to brace herself. Eyes closed, she waited to smack her head against the frame. They only popped right back open, though, when Lucifer's arms wound around her stomach and pulled her down into his lap, holding her in place as the ride finished its final rock.

"Are you alright?" he breathed out and stared at her terrified expression as she took a deep breath and stood back up on shaky legs. He stood beside her and held her by the arm as she stepped off the still slightly swaying car. "Are you sure?" he asked again and she nodded her head.

"Yes, Lucifer. Thank you. You saved my neck there," she said, standing with a white-knuckle grip on the railing. He reached in and lifted Trixie out onto the stable platform, who ran to the stairs. "Trixie, wait up!" Chloe yelled and the little girl halted by the exit. "Mommy's coming," she said and started walking towards her daughter, Lucifer right behind her, his hand held out in case she needed more support. "Thank you again," she whispered before pasting on a wide smile and rejoining Trixie.

"My pleasure," he groaned and followed right behind them with a grin. _This is going to be fun_...

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 **PLEASE review, people! I do so love my reviews!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you those who reviewed my story. This is looking like it's going to be about 5 chapters or so... Hope you all enjoy.**

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Chapter 3:

Trixie and Chloe had run ahead to hold a place in the line-up for the next ride. The child was bouncing excitedly as the people advanced and Lucifer wondered if he should skip this weird looking contraption called the _Gravitron_. The giant purple space ship looked boring from outside, spinning so quickly that it looked like it might just take off at any given moment. He laughed, mostly to himself.

"What is this thing?" he asked the girls as he came up behind them, smiling as Chloe jumped due to his proximity. She lowered her head and refused to look at him, but Trixie ignored the tension between the two... or the fact that her comment had caused it.

"It's awesome!" she exclaimed. "It spins really fast like the ride you got in after the pirate ship! Except this one doesn't tilt up; there are long benches inside that go up and down and it spins so fast that you can turn upside-down and they play music like in your club and the lights blink all over the place like the sparkly balls in parties!"

"So it's like a disco?" he asked and Chloe finally managed to bring her gaze back to him and nodded. "I see."

The line moved forward and was very brief. There were only five or six people in front of them and a couple behind. As the line began to advance, he wondered again if he should sit this one out, but that uncomfortable feeling that had gripped him as he sat out the other ride told not to skip any more.

The gate opened and Trixie followed as Trixie ran inside, looking for a chunk of space along the walls. Lucifer came up beside them and Trixie told him to lean back against the wall. He took a spot next to the detective, but as he was about to place himself, Trixie asked him to move between her and her mother. Chloe moved over and made room for Lucifer while Trixie kept several spaces on her other side.

"I want to turn upside-down," she told Lucifer when he tried to take the spot immediately beside her. He nodded and took the place right beside Chloe. When he looked over at her, she was laying against the wall with her eyes closed and taking deep breaths.

"Problem, detective?" he murmured almost right into her ear. She tensed visibly, but forced a smile to his face and met his gaze.

"Of course not. I'm just enjoying my day off with my little girl."

Lucifer felt his heart burst into a hundred little pieces. Of course, Chloe was happy she was spending the day with her daughter, but what she hadn't said spoke volumes. She was upset that he was with them; she'd been planning a mother-daughter day, not a mother-daughter-annoying partner day. And why was he here to being with? This wasn't his scene. The hum of understanding that came to his lips was a reflex while his thoughts were focused on why the fact that she'd excluded him from her comment hurt as much as they did.

The ride was already beginning to spin when Lucifer finally noticed the machine had started. He felt himself being sucked further and further against the wall and looked down when Trixie let out a squeal of delight. The child was completely inverted, her feet at arms' length from Lucifer's head. She laughed louder as the benches slid up the wall and thudded into place nearly a foot higher.

Trixie's laughter was infectious and Lucifer felt laughter bubbling in his own throat as he listened to it. His head rolled to his other side and he watched with awe as Chloe began to laugh as well as the seat jarred back down into place. She had brought her feet up and planted them against the seat a few inches higher so she was completely off the ground. Lucifer chuckled as his place slid up again and he rested his head back, enjoying the sounds of delight coming from the ladies on either side of him. He breathed deep and felt himself relax like he never had before.

"Hey, Lucifer!" Trixie laughed and his eyes went back to find she had moved on the seats and was lying at a right angle to him, but her head was level with his. She was across the tops of several seats and giggling madly. He laughed back and she looked at him. "Are you having fun?" she yelled over the pulsing pop music. He swallowed and thought about it for a moment before smiling at the little girl.

"Yes, I am!" he yelled back. With that, Lucifer struggled and managed to lift his hand to wrap around Trixie's. She grinned. Suddenly, he felt another hand slip into his free one and his head snapped to the other side to look at Chloe, who was beaming up at him. The beauty of her wide smile took his breath away and, for once, snarky and lewd comments eluded him. All he could do was smile.

The feeling began to slip, though, as he felt the ride slowing down and Trixie began to wiggle back into a better position before she slide down the benches to the ground when it would stop completely. Chloe, too, let go of Lucifer's hand and let her body inch back down to put her feet firmly on the ground as it spun slower and slower. When it stopped, the two ladies stood up and made their way to the railing, holding on as they tried to regain their sense of balance.

Lucifer, however, was completely steady as he lifted himself away from the wall and followed the teetering duo down the steps, holding both of their hands as they took the steps down. They walked through the gate and, although they had walked on a couple of feet, Lucifer's hearing picked up a conversation from two older women standing in line to get in next. He began to marvel that women of such an age would come to something like this without having to when their words caught his attention.

"That child is adorable!" one woman said, smiling and pointing at Trixie. The other smiled.

"He's a little overdressed, but I guess he just finished work. At least he spends time with his daughter though," the other said and he felt his insides freeze. They thought Trixie was his?

"They look like such a nice family. And that woman has one gorgeous husband!" the first gushed and the second hummed her approval.

Lucifer's feet froze in place for a moment longer, but if he lingered too long, they'd know he had heard them and he'd have a lot of explaining to do as to how he heard a whispered conversation nearly ten feet away in this much noise. He walked on and made his way to catch up to Trixie and Chloe and decided to push the whole thing from his mind, but the way Trixie bounced up and down as she saw him approach made his chest tighten in an unfamiliar way.

"You're still here!" she exclaimed and ran towards him, evidently about to throw her arms around his legs like she always did. However, she stopped short and the smile slipped for a fraction of a second before she reached her hand out and pulled him along instead. The feeling of having been gypped of something tugged at him again and he wanted to leave suddenly. This entire outing had him feeling things he didn't understand and wasn't sure he wanted to. He was confused and a little frustrated, but one look at her hopeful face had him smiling back and following her into the next line.

"Bumper cars?" he blurted, reading the sign above the ride. "Oh, perhaps you should always drive one of these, detective," he teased and she narrowed her gaze to glare at him as he pressed his lips together to suppress a smile.

"We'll see who's laughing by the end of this," she replied and took Trixie's hand to grab a car with her daughter, but Trixie shook her head and said she wanted to get in with Lucifer. Chloe looked up at her partner and was about to come up with some kind of excuse to cushion her daughter, but Lucifer crouched down in front of Trixie first.

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather get in with your mum?" he asked, his brows knitting together, growing more and more confused by the moment. Trixie shook her head.

"I want to get in to one with you this time. I know you'll only do this for me once, so I want one ride just us."

Lucifer looked up at Chloe and she shrugged her shoulders. He sighed and looked back to Trixie.

"Very well, spawn; but I warn you... I plan on getting your mum solid in these things," he said, looking up at the detective. She crossed her arms and pouted.

"Well, that's no fair," she groaned. "I mean... I'm not going to go after you the same way with my daughter in the car with you!" she said. He laughed.

"Ooh, too bad for you, detective," he replied with a taunting pout.

"Yeah, too bad, mommy!" Trixie chimed in, putting her hands in her pockets to mimic Lucifer. She rocked on her feet. "We're gonna get ya in there!" She withdrew one hand and put it up to him. He looked down at her and, with a smile, gave her the high-five she was looking for, which made her smile so wide that he feared her face might crack.

Chloe ran to one corner and snagged a blue car while Trixie and Lucifer scrambled towards the only red car on the platform in the corner. He stepped in and sat down and wondered how on earth he was going to fold his long legs into the vehicle. It took a bit of wiggling, but he managed to bend one leg almost to where he could rest his chin on his knee while the other stretched out reach the pedal. When he reached over to buckle her in, Trixie asked if she could drive and he desperately wanted to say 'no', but her big smile had him turning to putty.

"How about we work together?" he asked and she nodded, putting one hand on one side of the wheel while he took hold of the other.

The bell rang and he floored the pedal as they struggled to work together to steer the car. He told Trixie to turn left with him, but she pulled on the wheel and they kept going straight and wound up bouncing into someone else. His eyes scanned as they recovered to find where Chloe was. Spotting her as she backed out of the corner the previous rider had driven into, he knew they had one chance to catch her. He winked at Trixie and she removed her hand from the wheel to allow him to steer clearly around the pile-up and aim directly at the side of the car her mother was in.

The collision had Chloe grunting while her daughter laughed hysterically beside the devil. He backed up a bit to ram again when someone came up behind them and slammed into them, which rammed them back into Chloe. She laughed as she bounced in her car and Trixie began to tear up with laughter. The sound was music to his ears and he found himself chuckling along with them.

Giving the wheel back to Trixie to steer, he sat back with an arm draped over the back of the seat as she tried to direct them out of the mess they were in, but couldn't. Looking up at him, he grinned and took control of the car once more and had them out of the way just in time as another car came zooming up behind them and careened into the edge of the platform instead of them.

With his focus on getting them out of the way in time, he hadn't noticed Chloe had freed herself from the pile-up and was right behind the duo. Lucifer ducked between two cars who were aiming for a head-on collision and they effectively blocked Chloe from following.

However, her police training allowed her to duck around them, only losing a couple of seconds. When Lucifer looked up again, Chloe was right beside them. He tried to push the pedal down harder, but it was maxed out. Wincing, Chloe swerved her car right into his and they smacked into the edge. Trixie laughed and, looking at Chloe who was biting back a bark of laughter, Lucifer gave up trying to contain his own and cracked up.

As they all sat there, trying to regain their breath, the bell rang again and signaled that their turn was finished. Still chuckling, Lucifer leaned over and undid the clasp on Trixie's harness, then his own. Standing was an awkward sight as he had no way to easily get up, so he rested his hands on the back of the seat and pushed himself up so he could make better use of his legs. Chloe, for her part, sat in her car laughing at him as he struggled to emerge as gracefully as possible.

"I'll get you for that, detective!" he warned when he was finally upright and readjusting his jacket, closing one button before he reached in and lifted Trixie out and onto her feet. She was about to run for the gate, but Chloe's voice stopped her.

"Get back here!" she tossed out and Trixie made her way back to her mother's car as she emerged, with a bit of difficulty, but still more gracefully than her partner had. Together, they all made their way to the gate and back into the main throughway. Trixie looked back and forth until her eyes lighted on one of the last few rides they hadn't tried yet. "Which one, baby?" Chloe asked.

" _Cliff Hanger_!" she squeaked and ran towards it, but Chloe called her name and Trixie slowed down so her mother and Lucifer could catch up and she wouldn't get lost in the crowd.

"Thank you." Chloe's voice surprised Lucifer and he spun to face her as she walked with her head down, casting glances to keep an eye on her daughter. "I'm sure that wasn't a very special experience for you, but you just made Trixie feel like she was the most important person in your world... you have no idea what that meant for her."

The tightness returned to Lucifer's chest and he found himself incapable of reply, almost winded by the sensation. He lifted half of his mouth in a quirked smile before looking back down at the asphalt underfoot. They walked on in silence to where Trixie was jumping up and down in line, letting them know where she was. Chloe came up beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder for a moment before Trixie shrugged out of her mother's grasp and took a step closer to Lucifer.

"Thank you, Lucifer," she said quietly, the most subdued he'd seen the child since arriving at the carnival. She twisted her hands and smiled up at him. "That was a lot of fun. Thanks for getting into a ride with just me." She made a movement towards him, her arms rising at her sides, but she checked herself once more and shrank back a little. The tightness threatened to choke him, but he was tired of feeling like he'd been cheated out of something. He sighed and crouched down.

"You're welcome, Beatrice," he said softly and, to her amazement, opened an arm to invite her in to a hug. She grinned and threw herself into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck in a brief and tight squeeze and he felt his heart burst with happiness. _So this is why she's always hugging me!_ he thought to himself.

Trixie withdrew after only a brief second, knowing that his offered hug was a rarity and not wanting to make him regret his decision. She stepped back and wrapped her arms back around her mother's legs as they waited for the ride to finish. Lucifer had been so focused on the child that he hadn't noticed was the ride did, so he felt nervous as they were ushered through the railing into the area.

They followed Trixie as she looked for an empty set of three spots and she dove head-long onto the place closest to the center of the ride. "It doesn't go as high," she explained as they moved to take their own spots, Chloe in the middle while Lucifer stood staring at his spot.

"Something wrong, Lucifer?" Chloe asked, looking back at him.

"I have to lie down on this one?" he asked, pointing at the spot. Chloe nodded. "Very well..."

Lucifer braced on his hands and crawled into his spot, trying to get as comfortable as possible. He reached back and placed his jacket so he didn't crush the open front, then rested his arms and chin and waited. He looked over at Chloe who was talking to Trixie while he wondered what this ride did.

He soon had his answer as the ring of hanging harnesses lifted several feet off the ground and began to spin in a circle. It started slow, then, as it picked up speed, the height increased, too. He finally lifted his gaze from Chloe, who was still talking with her daughter, and felt the air freeze in his lungs at the sight before him.

The point-of-view was familiar to him, soaring upwards to the skies, diving down towards the ground, then lifting just in time. The wind whipped through his hair and caressed his face and, without his permission, his eyes slipped closed and he forced himself to forget that he was harnessed in.

It had been several years since he'd arrived on the beach of Los Angeles and forced Mazikeen to cut off his wings. It had been several years since the last time he'd soared through the air like a bird... like an angel. It had been several long years since he'd felt the freedom of flying through the sky with the wind blowing through his hair and over his face, the clouds passing through his hands like sand. And, with a breaking heart, he realized it was the one thing he missed about removing his wings.

His eyes still squeezed shut, he bit his lip as he felt tears trickle from his closed lids, his grip on the harness white-knuckled and painful, his fingers wrapping the whole way around and digging into his palm. He tried to stem the flow from his shut eyes, but couldn't. Knowing he'd never feel that freedom again was more painful than the removal of his wings and, for a moment, he wished he hadn't been so impulsive as to burn them and deny himself the chance to glide through the air ever again.

Lucifer's eyes popped open when he felt Chloe's delicate touch to his hand and he looked over at her, her concern so obvious that it warmed his heart. He tried to force a smile to his lips, but all that came was a sighed sob and several more tears.

"Lucifer, what's wrong?" Chloe whispered, her voice low so Trixie wouldn't hear her. She was too busy laughing anyways. Lucifer shook his head and tried to avoid answering, but she pried his hand off the handle and wrapped hers around it instead, their fingers interlacing. "Are you okay?"

"It's been... I haven't flown since Maze cut my wings off... This... this is as close as I'll ever get ever again," he said, his breathing shallow as another wave a tears threatened to overtake him. But Chloe just tilted her head and said nothing about his angel/devil delusions as she grasped his hand even tighter.

When Lucifer looked down again, the ride was getting lower and lower and spinning more slowly. With mixed emotions, he realized the ride was almost over and he wasn't sure whether to feel relief or agony.

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 **PLEASE review! No reviews... no new chapter! :D (No, I'm not above blackmail...)**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you to all my lovely reviewers. This story started as a simple idea and has developped into my longest story in a while. (I'm a One-shot kind of girl!) So, thanks again and keep them reviews coming.**

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Chapter 4:

"Are you sure?" Chloe asked again as she turned to Lucifer who stayed behind them as they advanced in the line-up for the _Ferris Wheel_. His attention had been focused on his shoes, unable to look at neither Trixie nor Chloe as they smiled and giggled on their way to the ride. His mind was still circling around the sensation from the previous ride and he was in no mood to talk to someone who didn't believe him. "Lucifer?"

"Hmm?" His head swung up and he looked into her large blue eyes that observed him carefully. She tilted her head to the side and he felt uncomfortable under her scrutiny.

"I was just asking if you're sure you don't want to come in to the _Ferris Wheel_ with us. Are you alright?" she asked. "You seem... out of it. What... what happened on the _Cliff Hanger_?" she asked, but he shook his head and let a corner of his mouth tilt up in a smile.

"Nothing, detective. I'm quite fine. Go on!" he said, shooing her into the ride as the operator ushered them into the car. "The gentleman has a spot for you and your spawn. Go. Have fun. I'll be right here," he said, pointing to a bench a few meters away. She tried to say something else, but Trixie tugged on her mother's hand and she let slide whatever she had been about to say. He'd never been quite so grateful to the child.

Making his way to the folding bench in the middle of the passage, he sat down and withdrew a cigarette from the pack in his jacket pocket. He flipped his lighter and took a long drag. He sighed out the smoke from his lungs and looked at the burning butt in his hand before crushing it beneath his shoe. Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on his knees and bent his head.

The feeling of flying through the air had surprised him. It was the last thing he had expected from simple rides and it had shaken him to realize how much he missed his wings, not because of their angelic symbolism or their connection to his immortal life, but for the joy they'd brought him as he'd soar through the air. He missed the feeling of stretching his arms out as he flew, his wings fluttering behind him and the wind whipping through his fingers. Nowadays, the closest he came to such a feeling was when he drove in his convertible and let the wind whip against his hands.

For the second time in less than an hour, he felt tears stinging at the back of his lids and he sniffled and sat up a little straighter, squaring his jaw. He refused to allow himself to cry again. He'd already broken down, on the verge of full-out sobbing, in front of his detective and he felt positively mortified by his actions. He wouldn't cry again.

Instead, he lifted his eyes and looked up at the ride, trying to find Chloe and Trixie on it. He knew it was a purple car they had gotten in and there were only two or three that color. His eyes scanned around the ring and his eyes zoomed in on the car when he saw Chloe leaning over the edge... watching him. His chest tightened; she'd seen him the entire time and her knack for reading body language had him nervous. Surely she'd question him when she got off the ride and he wasn't ready for questions.

Lucifer sighed when she turned away, talking to Trixie who must have been trying to show her something, he mused. Part of him relaxed. Maybe he'd been lucky and she hadn't been watching him the _entire_ time, but he doubted it. He watched them going around several more times and, whenever Trixie was busy looking around at the view, Chloe's gaze returned to him.

Lucifer held his breath as the ride slowed and the cars were emptied one at a time. Within a few seconds, Chloe hopped out and then turned to lift her daughter from the ride. Trixie scrambled towards the gate and flew over to Lucifer and began to talk to him and he sighed. If he listened and talked with Trixie, perhaps Chloe wouldn't interrupt with questions just yet.

"Really?" he said as Trixie went on about how she could see the building that housed his precious club from the top of the wheel. She laughed and pulled him along as she looked from side to side, all the while chatting away about everything she'd seen. Chloe walked behind them and smiled, but her head shook from side to side every time Lucifer looked at the child and prodded her into talking some more. She knew he was stalling.

"Ooh!" Trixie said, looking at the kiosk with a wall full of balloons taped to it. She left Lucifer's side and moved over to her mother, jumping up and down. "Mommy, can I play? Please!" she begged and Lucifer took the opportunity to step away from the duo. He leaned against the side of the stand and crossed his arms, falling back deep into thought.

Chloe kneeled down to talk to her daughter as she tried to convince her mother to allow her to play the darts game. Chloe did her best to talk the girl out of it, but she insisted. Smiling, Chloe handed a five dollar bill to the carney and the man handed three darts to the little girl. Trixie grabbed them and threw them as well as she could at the balloons tacked to the wall. Lucifer was about to protest her lack of form when Chloe shook her head, warning him into silence. Two popped on one dart. The second was a miss. The third took out a single balloon.

"Three balloons! The little girl gets a prize!" The man pointed to the size of toy Trixie could choose from and she beckoned the man closer to whisper into his ear. His eyebrows rose for a second then he reached behind him and grabbed a small red figurine even smaller than the size Trixie was allowed. "You sure?" he asked. "You popped three; you're allowed something a bit bigger."

"No, I want that."

"Here ya go..."

Lucifer was still leaning against the stand, but he had stopped paying attention when Chloe told him not to interfere. He never noticed Trixie's approach until she thrust something into his hand. He looked down and saw the toy Trixie had selected. The four-inch stuffed toy was a red heart with a grinning smile, topped with horns and a tail tipped with an arrowhead, two arms and legs coming out of it.

"What on earth?" he muttered, but Trixie was bouncing with excitement.

"I won it! I chose it special for you!" she said, smiling and so evidently proud of herself that Lucifer couldn't even bring himself to point out the erroneous representation of himself. He opened and closed his mouth several times before really looking at the toy. The smile was cute in a vulgar, cheap kind of way. And Trixie had selected it special for him. He felt a small smile tug at his own lips and half his mouth tilted up at the corner.

"Thank you, Beatrice," he said finally and put the tou-tou into his jacket pocket before pulling out his wallet. He produced two hundred dollar bills and handed them to the carney. "How many darts can I get for this much?" he asked and the man fumbled in his pouch for all the darts he had, a total of thirty.

"This is all I got, but I'll let you go three times with all of 'em!" he said, palming the hundreds and sliding them into his jean pocket.

Lucifer gathered the thirty darts in his hand and looked at the board, counting the balloons quickly. There were just north of a hundred. Taking a deep breath, he began to launch them in rapid succession with perfect aim and in a linear progression across the board so he didn't miss a single one. The first thirty were launched and he'd hit at least one balloon on every one. The carney collected the darts and handed them back. By the time Lucifer finished his second round, almost all the balloons were clear, with maybe five in the bottom right corner.

"Gee, I hope I managed the last few with only thirty darts!" he drawled dramatically, casting a glance at Chloe and Trixie who both stared with their mouths hanging open. Within three shots, the last five balloons were cleared from the board.

"Alright, then... I cleared the entire board. I want that one," he said, pointing to the large teddy bear in the top corner, nearly three feet tall. The guy moved towards it, but Lucifer's eyes narrowed on one in particular and he put a hand on the man's shoulder. "I want that one, too," he said, his voice low and his gaze locked on the man behind the counter. He nodded, his eyes wide. He finished fishing down the giant bear and handed it to Lucifer.

"Here you go, spawn," he said, handing the stuffed animal to Trixie who laughed and hugged it tight.

"Cool! Thanks, Lucifer!" she bellowed and tried to hug him, but couldn't with the bear in her arms. Lucifer gave a little _hmm_ of approval at her being unable to hug him again and, yet, some part of him that he refused to study was a bit disappointed. Shrugging, he turned back to the carney who had fished out the second stuffed animal. He turned to Chloe and smiled.

"This one's for you, detective."

The fluffy white teddy bear he held in his hand was soft and had a pair of shimmery white wings hanging off of his back, a small gold pipe cleaner rigged up as a halo and a small plastic harp attached to one paw. She smiled up at him and took the toy from his hand, petting its head. Hugging it close, she looked up at him, her eyes bright and sparkling.

"Thank you, Lucifer," she whispered and leaned in to quickly press a brief kiss to his cheek. He stared at her in surprise, his hand lifting to touch his cheek. A grin quirked up one corner of his mouth and he let out a tiny chuckle. "I love it," she said softly. He sighed.

"You're very welcome, detective."

"I want to go on that one now!" Trixie interrupted. Lucifer did his best to conceal his groan, but it was Chloe that sighed and closed her eyes, her frustration even more obvious than his. She turned to her daughter, who had the bear on her back like a piggy back ride.

"Which one, baby?" she asked and Trixie pointed to the _Himalaya_ they'd eyed earlier. "Ooh, that one looks good!" she said and took her daughter's hand as she moved to the line, watching over her shoulder at Lucifer following behind. He trailed behind, but when he noticed the ride they were approaching, it pulled him out of his reveries. He'd seen this ride earlier, but they had skipped it and gotten on something else. It was the ride that had prodded him into buying the bracelet in the first place. He wasn't about to sit this one out; it intrigued him.

"Can I get in this one on my own?" Trixie asked and both adults looked down at her. "Oh, and do you think they'd let me bring him in with me?" she asked, indicating the massive animal over her back. She looked around for the minimum height indicator for the ride and scrambled towards it, standing against the railing. "Am I tall enough?" she asked and Chloe leaned in.

"Yep... just enough," she said, giving her head a shake. "If the guy that works the ride says it's alright, okay," Chloe said, getting back in line with her daughter where Lucifer had held their spot. She bit her lip and turned to look behind her. "Are you, uh... are you getting in this one?" she asked him and he smiled, his first since before the _Cliff Hanger_.

"I most definitely am, detective," he said. "It was this ride that intrigued me enough to buy a bracelet in the first place." She nodded and hummed, but said little else afterwards. "Is that a problem?" he said and she shook her head quickly.

"So... so, I guess we'll get in together?" she asked him.

"Why not? Something wrong?" he asked and he wondered for a moment if there was a reason they shouldn't. But Chloe shook her head and turned back to face the ride.

"If, of course, Trixie is allowed to get in alone," she said, visibly forcing a deep breath in and out and Lucifer's eyes narrowed at her sudden apprehension.

"Of course!"

The ride finished and a wave of passengers got out, making their way to the exit, while the operator waited. When everyone was off the platform, he opened the bar and they moved forward. Trixie bounced up to the uniformed man and asked if she could get in with her bear. The man placed her against the measuring sign.

"You're tall enough to get in alone, but put the bear on the outside," he said and she scrambled happily to the pink car just in front of them, climbing in and placing the large teddy in the outside position. As Chloe and Lucifer moved to get in, the man pointed at him. "He goes on the outside," he said and Chloe nodded while Lucifer's brows knit in confusion as they moved to the car right behind Trixie. Of course, it would be red! Lucifer moved towards it, but Chloe put her hand on his arm.

"I have to get in first, Lucifer. You need to sit on the outside in this one," she said.

"What difference does that make?" he asked even as she stepped in front of him to get into the compartment. She shrugged and scooted as far into the corner as possible while Lucifer hopped in after her, sitting down and pulling the bar down across their laps. When he looked at her, she was as smushed into the corner as possible and she had her arm tightly over the side. "Something wrong, detective?" he asked. "Scared to fall out?" He lifted his arm and draped it along the top of the seatback.

"No, I'm just getting ready to hold on... don't want to crush you..." she said a little breathlessly. Lucifer's eyes narrowed again as he looked at her.

"What on earth..."

But his words were lost as the operator called out the start of the ride, trying to get the passengers pumped up. Disco music blared and the ride began to advance. Chloe and Lucifer's car had been right before a bump in the track and, at the slow speed, they rode over it like a speed bump, slowly. The ride gained speed and the next bump had them bouching a little more sharply in the car. Lucifer also began to notice that he was sliding further into his corner while Chloe held on tightly to hers.

Once the ride was up to full speed, Chloe watched her daughter laughing in the car in front of them, her hands in the air and sliding into the teddy, holding the toy in place. The child looked over her shoulder at her mother and laughed.

"Mommy, why are you holding on so tight?" she yelled. "Put your hands up!" Trixie went back to staring ahead and Lucifer chuckled at Chloe.

"Yes, detective!" Lucifer drawled and put his free hand in the air as they bounced over another bump. He laughed at the feeling of almost falling out. "C'mon! This one's truly quite a lot of fun! Hell, even I like it!" he yelled over the music. "C'mon!" he teased again and Chloe closed her eyes. She put one hand up in the air and felt her grip loosen, getting closer to Lucifer with the rapid spinning of the ride. Once she was pressed into him, holding on made little sense, so she gently let go, as luck would have it, just as they passed over another bump.

Chloe was pressed from knee to shoulder against Lucifer's side, his arm still up around the back of the seat. His eyes swung down to look at her and she swallowed. His gaze held hers as the ride continued and when they passed over another bump, her hand came up to rest on his chest, trying to push herself away. He grinned in reply and the hand that had been on the seatback released its grip to wrap around her waist and she gasped as he pulled her even closer still.

"I say..." he breathed, his breath fanning against her face. She swallowed again. "I _really_... like this ride." His voice was low and he sounded breathless and yet, his voice rang in her eyes as she stared up at him. Their gaze only broke when they passed over the next bump and it felt less intense. They looked up and noticed that the ride was slowing down. He looked back to Chloe. "Over already?" he whined.

"No..." she whispered and his face twisted in confusion. "Now, we go backwards."

The words had no sooner left her lips when the ride came to a standstill for a fraction of a second, then began to move in reverse. Lucifer looked around and his eyes lighted on Trixie, who giggled and squealed with delight. A grin tilted up the corner of his mouth.

"I quite agree with the child," he murmured. His gaze swung back to Chloe just as she reached for the inside of the car to pull herself away from him once again, but he tightened his grip around her waist. "I don't think so!" he declared and she grunted as she landed into his side, her face inches from his. "There, now... that's much better," he mumbled.

The ride continued to spin madly and Trixie laughed and everyone screamed, but Chloe and Lucifer didn't make a sound. The proximity and intimacy the ride created sheltered them from the energy and insanity around them. Their eyes were locked on each other and, if it hadn't had been for the violent bumps every so often, he would have tried to kiss her, but he didn't want to hurt her... or himself. The ride lurched again and he brought his other hand off the lap bar to wrap around her waist while she brought a hand up to his neck, her thumb stroking back and forth over his stubbled cheek.

"Lucifer," she whispered and his eyes slipped closed for a moment. He leaned into her touch and sighed. When he opened his eyes again, she smiled.

"Chloe... darling." His voice was raw and full of emotion that he couldn't quite understand and, in that instant, the cocoon of intimacy was broken, confusion creasing his forehead as the ride slowed down and, eventually, stopped.

The harness swung up and he released Chloe as he swallowed. She felt his withdrawl and, disappointed, she drew back to her corner of the ride. He stepped out and offered his hand to her as she got out as well, but he released her almost immediately. He cleared his throat as Trixie ran over to them with her bear on her back.

"That was soo fun!" she gushed. Lucifer held Chloe's eyes for a moment longer before he looked away and cleared his throat again.

"You know what?" he said suddenly and both women looked up at him. "I have to go..."

"But Lucifer?" Trixie whined. Lucifer felt himself long to stay with them at her voice and he shoved his hands in his pockets to consider and froze. Slowly, his right withdrew the small red plushy devil heart and its smiling face stared up at him mockingly. His throat worked as he suppressed a mixture of anger and frustration and fear and about ten other emotions that he didn't even understand enough to be able to name. Growling, he dropped the toy as if it had burned him and he fled, forcing himself to ignore Trixie's voice calling after him, even as emotion stung his eyes for the third time that day.

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 **AN: Thank you to all my fans. I love receiving your reviews. Keep them coming and so will I.**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Well, this is it for this story. I had really planned to post this BEFORE Lucifer resumed in January, but I didn't get around to typing it up... Then, after that episode's ending... Man, I had a hard time finishing this! So, let's say it's a touch AU... Be kind! Oh, and this is a bit longer than my others. Lovies to all my fans and, even though it's the last chapter, I would still love some reviews! Thanks a bunch!**

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Chapter 5:

It was early evening, but the overcast skies darkened the city, making it feel so much later than it was. Lucifer stood at the railing of his balcony, listening to the distant rumble of thunder. It echoed the feelings twisting his chest into knots. He took a drink from the crystal bottle in his hand, the tumbler from earlier smashed against the wall of his apartment.

With a groan, he put a cigarette to his lips, but the wind prevented him from lighting it. Another groan. He put the butt away and took another long drink from the bottle in his hand, wincing as it grated the whole way down his throat. His gaze swung to the bottle before he huffed.

"What are you doing here?" he called over his shoulder, putting down the flask on the table. The sound of feet crunching on broken glass alerted him to his visitor's proximity.

"Lucifer, what happened to you today?" Chloe asked as she came to rest beside him, leaning against the railing. He still wouldn't look at her. "Lucifer?"

"Detective, don't ask questions you're not ready to know the answer to." He shoved his hands in his pockets and shrugged. "I already told you; the ride brought back memories of when I still had my wings. However, you don't believe I'm the devil, so I guess that means this conversation is over." He noticed movement beside him as she fished something from her pocket. When she withdrew her hand, she held the small stuffed heart and Lucifer's scowl softened.

"Trixie believes you..." Chloe held it out and Lucifer took it carefully from her hand, avoiding all contact with her. He held the toy and ran his thumb back and forth over the smiling face. "She cried the whole way home. She thinks you're mad at her."

"Just bloody perfect," he moaned and was about to hurl the thing over the railing, but Chloe put her hand on his shoulder to stop him and took the toy back before he could, clutching it to her chest. His gaze swung to her face and she looked close to tears. "Wonderful!" he snarled, letting his hand slap against his thigh. "It's a trifecta: I ruined an absolutely lovely day, I made the spawn cry and now you, too!"

"But why, Lucifer? What happened?"

"I TOLD YOU!" he growled and she blinked and took a small step back.

"Lucifer..." she gasped, her grip on the toy now white-knuckled. "You... your eyes..."

Lucifer ground his teeth and turned back towards the railing, letting out a humorless laugh.

"Well, at least you finally believe me." He reached down and grabbed the bottle up from the table once again, chugging down a mouthful, enjoying the unfamiliar burning sensation. "I apologize that you had to find out like that," he said quietly since she still hadn't moved. He figured he'd shocked her much like he had the doctor, but he refused to look at her.

"You know, I sometimes wonder if the world wouldn't be better off if I _did_ simply go back to hell... back to punishing bad people. Especially since you're here right now," he said and took one more drink, setting it back down again. "After all, when you're near, I get all mortal. All I'd have to do right now is jump the railing and... Voila! Off to hell I pop..." Behind him, he heard her gasp and he let out a huffed chuckle.

"Too right, detective. The mortal effect you have on me probably wouldn't work at such a distance. Perhaps you could head on down and wait for me on the sidewalk? I'd be down in a flash!" he teased and finally turned to look at her. And frowned.

Chloe stood stalk-still, clutching the toy so tightly that it looked about ready to burst at the seams. Her face was streaked with tears and her hand hovered over her mouth.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he blurted, his jaw set as he tried to hold back tears of his own at the sight of her in so much pain. "Go! Run away! I won't stop you! I..." He swallowed down his disgust. "I promise I won't hurt you," he said softly and pressed his mouth shut, taking a deep breath, ashamed that she might even think such a thing of him.

"I know you won't."

Lucifer froze, his breath caught in his throat, staring at the woman before him. He wondered, for a moment, if he might have imagined it. His gaze narrowed, looking for some sign of... Well, he didn't even know what he was looking for.

"What?"

It may have been inelegant, but it was truly the only reply he could force to his lips. In the years he'd been on earth, he'd revealed his true self a hundred times or so. And, the doctor not withstanding, every time, he'd driven the human to insanity and, sometimes, suicide.

"Please..." she begged and he braced for her to beg for her life, just like everyone did when‑ "Please, don't jump."

Lucifer's chest tightened painfully and he felt as though he couldn't breath. This mortal woman _knew_ he was the devil, was still _coherent_ and _didn't_ want him to kill himself. He reached out to put a hand on the railing to steady himself.

"No!" she shrieked, surging forward to grab at his free hand, dropping the toy in the process. His gaze wandered down to her death grip on his arm before returning to her horror-stricken wet eyes.

"I... I thought you... that you were gonna..."

Lucifer's eyes softened with wonder as he glanced back to her tight hold for a moment. He swallowed around the lump in his throat.

"You..." he said, but no sound came out. "You're not scared? Of me?"

"A little..." she said, but she reached out and cupped his face anyway. "I've seen so many weird things I can't explain that... that I'm... _totally_ freaking out, and yet... I'm not surprised." He leaned into her hand for a second before his gaze narrowed in on her face.

"But... you looked positively petrified just now."

"Well, duh! You just said you wanted to kill yourself, you idiot!" she burst in anger. Her brows knit together as she stared at him and her eyes filled with tears once more as the sky opened up. Droplets splashed on the ground around them for several moments, but soon, the sky opened. "Why?" she breathed. "Why would you want to?"

"Never said anything about _wanting_ to, detective. I said the world might be better off if I did."

"No, it wouldn't!" she shrieked and he watched her shoulders bouncing with sobs. Their clothing was soaked through, but neither really noticed. " _My_ world wouldn't..." she added, pressing her lips together. "I can't imagine not having you in my life."

"Detective, you still don't get it, do you?" he asked, staring at her like she'd lost her mind. "Do you want to see what I truly am?" he prodded, taking her by the shoulders. "Do you want to see the devil in the flesh?"

Chloe took a deep breath and bobbed her head up and down a couple of times and Lucifer's eyebrows rose to his hairline. He released her and took a deep breath, taking several steps back from her, putting distance between them. Then, without a word, he looked up to the skies and let his face morph into the mangled red mess of exposed muscle and scar tissue that was his natural appearance. He heard her gasp, but couldn't bring himself to look her in the eyes. Opening them just a crack, he was beyond surprised to see she had moved closer to him.

"Does it hurt?" she asked softly and reached out to place her hands on his chest, tilting her head as she looked at his face, stared deep into his black flaming eyes and bit her lip to hold back tears, but to no avail. Even through the rain, he could differentiate her crying from the downpour. "Is... is this hurting you?" she asked, her gaze flicking down to her hands on his chest. He shook his head. She sighed with a little chuckle. "This is going to take some getting used to."

"Getting used to?" he mouthed in dumb shock.

"Well, yeah... I mean... even when you look like 'Lucifer Morningstar', I know this is what you really look like and... well, what I said: this is going to take some getting used to."

"Detective," he whispered and his eyes slipped closed once more. "You don't have to get used to anything. I fully expect to never hear from you again now that you've made your point: that you're not afraid of the big, bad devil." He sighed and his shoulders slumped down in defeat. "Go ahead and leave; I won't hold it against you," he offered, swinging his gaze away from hers.

"Lucifer, I'm not going anywhere," she said and, biting her lip, she lifted her hand towards his face. He looked down and flinched as he saw her coming nearer his face. "Will I... hurt you? If I touch you? Like this?" she asked and his eyes widened.

"I... I don't know... No one's ever tried before."

With a deep breath, Chloe reached out and cupped her hand against his cheek and watched as Lucifer's eyes slipped closed. She was about to ask if she'd hurt him when he brought his equally red hand up to wrap over hers. He nuzzled into her touch and felt as if his chest might burst.

"Thank you," he whispered, a tear slipping from his eye to streak his cheek. Then, he sighed and released her hand, the sudden loss of his letting hers fall to her side. "Thank you," he whispered again and replaced his human appearance. "I appreciate your‑"

But Chloe's lips against his cut off anything else he was preparing to say. Lucifer's lips didn't move for a full ten seconds as hers pressed tenderly into his. He broke the kiss and lifted his head from hers, staring down at her, his face a twist of confusion and worry, but she smiled and brought her other hand to his face, both of them cupping his cheeks.

"You're still the same Lucifer," she mumbled, her thumbs sweeping against his face. "Oh, wow!" she gasped and lifted her head from him. "You really did have wings, didn't you?" she asked and the suddenness of the question had him laughing in surprise.

"Just catching up, are we, detective?" he laughed and felt himself relax. Gently, he rested his hands on her hips and his forehead against hers. "Yes, detective, I had wings... Maze really _did_ cut them off."

"Your scars..." she breathed. She craned her neck as if she could see them through his shirt while his back was turned away and bit her lip. "Do you think... when you're ready!" she added quickly. "Could I see them?" she asked and he took a deep breath. He stepped out of her arms and began to unbutton the transparent white shirt and she put her hand on his. "You don't have to right now. When you're ready," she whispered and he smiled.

"I am." With that, he undid the last fastenings and slid it down his arms. Swallowing hard, he turned slowly and showed her his back.

"Do they still hurt?" she asked softly. He shrugged and she watched the marred flesh move as his shoulders bounced. "Does it hurt if something touches them? Like leaning against a wall or... or being touched?"

"I don't let anyone touch them," he murmured and she heard him force his breath to even out. "But... I trust you, detective. I know you won't hurt me," he said and bent his head down. Lucifer shivered as her hands brushed over his shoulders and down along his sides, pressing gently against the base of his back. He held his breath and waited. And waited... and she didn't make any move to actually touch the scars. Then, he sucked in a breath at the feel of her warm lips pressing a kiss dead center between the two marks.

"Chloe!" he gasped and she lifted her face from him instantly.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you!" she mumbled quickly and even withdrew her hands from his back. He turned around and took her hands in his as she continued to apologize.

"No... no, darling, I'm fine. You didn't hurt me, I promise," he murmured. "Far from it..." he whispered. "No one's ever really... cared about them before. I mean, many people have seen them..." he said, and she tried not to roll her eyes at his reference to his numerous sexual partners. "But... your kiss... just now... I barely know how to describe it."

"If it made you uncomfortable..." she offered, but he pressed his finger to her lips.

"It felt like you kissed the pain away and, for one brief moment, it felt like when I still had them." He let his hand cup her cheek, his thumb brushing over the apples of her cheeks. "I felt complete."

Chloe smiled, her eyes wide with pride and happiness. Slowly, she put her hands to his arms and turned him back around to face his scars. He sighed at the feel of her lips this time and relaxed into her touch as her fingers skimmed the unmarred area around the two oval patches. She kept her kisses along his spine and, when she reached the top of his back, she pressed a soft one right at the edge of one scar, listening for any hiss or gasp of pain. Instead, his head fell backwards and he mumbled incoherently.

"Lucifer," she whispered against his back and pressed a kiss, for the first time, right in the middle of one scar. He gasped, but not in pain. In pleasure. Her touch was pure and innocent and, for a moment, he wondered if her kisses were strong enough to regrow his wings, but he shook his head. "Something wrong?" Lucifer turned and looked at her with a wide smile.

"Well, yes, actually," he mumbled and she removed her hands from him, but he wrapped his around her in reply. "While that does feel absolutely incredible... I can think of somewhere I'd much prefer to feel your lips," he said, leaning in even as he spoke. "Chloe," he murmured and she smile.

"So can I." With that, she reached her hands around his neck and pulled him in the last several inches to seal their lips. Her arms circled his neck and played in the short tendrils of hair at the nape while his interlaced at the base of her spine, drawing little shapes with his thumbs. She giggled into his kiss, but when his hand found the hem of her shirt and he touched the bare skin of her waist, she sighed.

A lack of oxygen forced them apart and Chloe rested her forehead against his, humming in contentment of the feel of him in her arms. She let her eyes open a sliver to look up at his face, but her attention was distracted by something behind him. It took several moments of inactivity for Lucifer to realized her focus was elsewhere. When he opened his own eyes, he saw her staring just beyond his shoulder. He turned his head a couple inches to look behind himself and froze.

Massive white wings stretched several feet to either side of him, glowing and powerful and majestic and delicate all at once. He let one hand leave Chloe's waist to reach out and run the back of his index knuckle against the concave curve of the inside of his wing. The softness, the bristle... it really was them. He swung his gaze back to Chloe who was still staring at them. Finally, she took a breath.

"They're gorgeous," she whispered, tearing her gaze, at last, from the wings to look into his face, although her eyes bounced back to the wings every now and then. "Lucifer?"

"I... I don't know, detective... I... Maze cut them off and I had them in that shipping container until they were stolen. Then... when I found them again... I burned them!" he mumbled, looking back at them then back at her. "Chloe... did... did you do this?" he asked and her eyes widened.

"I doubt it!" she blurted. "I mean... I mean, I'm human. I don't have powers!" she babbled, but he was smiling.

"The woman who makes me mortal? The woman who makes me feel things I've never felt in my entire lifetime? The woman who saw past the devil to care for the man? I beg to differ, darling." He looked behind him and spread them as wide as he could, the corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. "I can't believe it," he murmured, giving them a flap. Chloe let out a chuckle at the gust of wind they generated. "Sorry," he whispered.

"No, Lucifer... No, don't be sorry. They're magnificent," she said softly and took a step towards them. "Could... could I?" she asked, biting her lower lip and he growled. She shrank back quickly. "Sorry, you're right‑"

"No, Chloe, it's not that. Just... just don't do that; my thoughts become far from angelic when you bite your lip like that, darling," he breathed and she laughed. "Go ahead," he whispered and he curved one white wing towards her, watching, holding his breath as she stepped forward and ran her fingers along the top edge. He sighed.

"Do you know I can feel that?" he whispered and she withdrew her hand as if he'd burned her. "I can feel the delicate way you're touching them... as if you're afraid to hurt them... or me." His head tilted to the side, studying her for several moments, smiling. "Chloe, you are amazing and I..." Lucifer's breath caught in his throat as he stared into her expectant eyes and he felt the tug at his heart once more. His eyes narrowed a little and he stared at her. "I don't understand this feeling and... and yet I do... perfectly and clearly."

"What do you feel?" she asked, her voice a little breathless. He took a step nearer to her.

"I feel... wonderful and... and safe... and scared. I feel as though my chest could burst wide open. I feel like my only purpose is to keep you safe and make you happy. And when you smile at me, I feel completely invincible." He swallowed hard and licked at his suddenly dry lips. "Chloe, darling..." he whispered and lifted his hand to cup her cheek. She had tears hanging from her lashes. "You're crying!" he gasped, but she smiled and rested her hand on the warm skin of his bare chest.

"It's alright... I'm crying because I'm happy!" she said and he let his mouth curve into a smile.

"You humans are truly fascinating," he murmured and brought up his other hand, taking her face between them. "Chloe... I'm fairly certain these feelings... they mean I'm in love with you." The tears that had been swimming in her eyes escaped and streaked down her cheeks, where his thumbs brushed them away.

"If that's what they mean, then I guess I'm in love with you, too," she whispered back and smiled.

Lucifer leaned in slowly and pressed his lips ever so softly against hers, both of them humming at the sensation. Her hands glided up his wet chest to curl behind his neck while his tangled in her hair. Still, they kept the kiss short, parting after only a few brief seconds, resting their foreheads against one another.

"Are you cold?" he asked suddenly, plucking at the shoulder of her drenched top and watching with fascination as it reclung to her skin at his release. She chuckled and shook her head. "Are you sure?"

"You might have your wings back, Lucifer, but the heat coming off of you is pure hell fire," she teased, biting her lower lip again, but only when he was looking at her, grinning at the low growl. Still, he released her for a moment and disappeared into his apartment without a word, leaving her alone on the damp balcony, the rain having just ended. "Lucifer?"

Seconds later, he reappeared with a towel, blanket and one of his black shirts. He slung the blanket over his shoulder, his body dry now, and motioned for her to remove her shirt. Chloe's eyes widened and she stared up at him.

"Trust me," he whispered with his trademark devilish grin and she felt herself give in. She stripped out of the wet t-shirt and watched with a inward grin as he swallowed hard. But, rather than try anything, he simply handed her the towel, letting her dry her hair and skin before passing her his shirt. She put her arms through the way too large sleeves and fought to button it with the cuffs constantly falling down over her hands. Taking a moment to roll them up, she finished the shirt up and reached under the hem to shuck off her wet jeans, leaving them in a heap on the floor.

Lucifer's jaw was tight with control, but the shirt was more than long enough to be modest. It covered more than any clubbing dress his Lux patrons wore. Tossing the towel onto the chair behind them, he took the massive blanket and wrapped it around her, then picked her up in his arms like a child, much to her surprise.

"Lucifer!" she gasped, but he just chuckled as she threw her arms around his neck. She looked at him and his smile faded.

"You do trust me, don't you?" he said softly and she nodded, her lips pressed together. "Chloe Decker, will you share my first flight with me?" He watched as she smiled and nodded her head slowly, resting her head on his shoulder.

Gently, Lucifer stretched his wings once more and flapped them several test times before kicking off the balcony and soaring up into the air. Her clutch around his neck tightened briefly as she looked down, noticing just how high up they were, but his grip around her back and knees tightened in response and she looked back up at him, relaxing as the wind breezed over them. He wove in and out of the clouds and around the odd bird flying by and soon, they were by the water, flying low along the shoreline of the beach.

"See that spot there?" he whispered to her and she looked down. "That's where I cut off the first ones," he said and she turned to face him, releasing his neck with one arm to run her hand over his face, her fingertips brushing his lips. He kissed them. "Hold on," he said, and took off over the water about a kilometer or two from the shore.

The sight was exquisite: thousands of stars glowed without the interference of light pollution and the still dark waters reflected them like a mirror. It felt like they were in the middle of the outer space, surrounded by stars and there wasn't a sound. It was complete stillness.

"Now, I understand why you missed it," she murmured and he smiled.

"Yes..." he hummed, his eyes focusing on nothing in particular. He seemed to be deep in thought for a moment before a little grin quirked up the corner of his mouth. "Would you like to try something, darling?" She looked at him and her head turned a little in apprehension.

"That depends; what do you have in mind?" she asked carefully and he chuckled.

"Darling, believe me, I _always_ have that on my mind... as you'll discover once we get back to Lux," he promised and she shivered at his words. "But for now, I was thinking... would you like to see what it feels like?"

"What?" she asked, her eyes blinking in bewilderment.

"You said you trust me... and you know I'm more than strong enough to hold you... Would you like to have an idea of what flying feels like?" he asked again and she took a deep breath before nodding. He smiled. "Alright... use my foot as a kind of step and turn around. I'll hold you by the waist."

Chloe felt a little unsure and it showed, but she did as Lucifer said and turned in his arms to stand with her feet on the top of his, her back pressed against him. He pulled the blanket out of their way and let it fall into the water. She tried to protest, but he waved her off.

"It's just a blanket, darling." He placed his hands just on the front of her waist, holding her rump against his thighs. "Alright, are you ready?" he asked and she nodded quickly. "Relax... I promise you, Chloe, I won't let anything happen to you." She took a deep breath and nodded again, more slowly and deliberately. "Alright... here we go," he whispered into her ear and soared upwards until they were about thirty feet above the water. Then, he leaned forward and wrapped his feet around her ankles and they were flying.

"Oh!" she squeaked when his feet disappeared from beneath hers, but the sight was so beautiful that it took her breath away. As they began to soar, Lucifer gently lowered her until the only things holding her up were his hands at arms' length and his feet. The air whipped past her face and she eventually spread her arms wide and let herself sigh in pleasure. "Wow!" she breathed.

They flew over the water for another several minutes before slowly making their way back towards Lux, sailing through the air. When they passed through a patch of fluffy clouds, she reached out to it and Lucifer guided them over so she could run her hand through it. She giggled at the cold, wet feeling.

"Well?" he asked as they landed on his balcony, setting her down and looking at her, stowing his wings away.

"Lucifer, that was incredible!" she breathed out, pressing her hand to her chest. "Wow!"

" _You're_ incredible," he whispered and pulled her in for a deep kiss that had her mewling in his arms. Her arms found their way instantly around his neck and she held him close, moaning when the tip of his tongue traced the seam of her lips. It poked in and the kiss deepened. Her hands clutched at his neck and she whimpered beneath him as his hands pulled up the hem of the shirt to massage the skin of her thighs. "It seems to me," he panted when they finally parted, though he never stopped peppering kisses over her face, "that I made a promise about once we got back to Lux," he said, catching her earlobe briefly between his teeth. She sank against him.

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Hours later, wrapped in his arms and black satin sheets, she reached for him and motioned for him to turn his back to her. When he did, the scars were gone, but she knew exactly where they had been and pressed her lips to the same spots, listening with a smile as he hummed his pleasure.

"I can't believe they grew back," he said in wonder before flipping onto his back and taking her into his arms. "You know... I think I might need to thank young Beatrice on a very _large_ scale," he said, running his hand up and down her back. She swung her gaze up and rested her chin on his bare chest.

"What do you mean?" she asked, tilting her head. He chuckled.

"Well, to think, darling... all these wonderful developments came about because the little minx tried to trick me into coming to the travelling rides with you."

" _Tried_? Lucifer, she has you wrapped around her little finger!" Chloe laughed and Lucifer frowned before he pulled her on top of him to straddle his hips once more. She smiled and, when she held his gaze, pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, making him growl low.

"That would appear to be a Decker family trait," he teased and she gasped as he rolled his hips beneath her. "That being said," he murmured before flipping her onto her back and spreading his wings above her, "pencil me in for the rides again next year..."

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 **AN: Thank you, thank you, thank you! This had been my first non-one-shot in a long time!**

 **Please reviews, all my lovelies! Thank you! xx**


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